The letter from the Student Veterans of America to the leadership of Veterans Affairs committees of both chambers of Congress explaining the concerns surrounding GI Bill payments as a result of COVID-19 is available here.
News and updates
House Passes 2nd COVID-19 Appropriations Package, Next Senate
Despite earlier push back, the House passed fixes to its financial relief package Monday night by Unanimous Consent. Conservative Senate Republicans also voiced concerns, specifically about the small business leave provisions. Those requirements for paid leave were apparently tweaked by tightening eligibility in some areas. It restricts paid family leave to $200 per day or $10,000 total. It also provides more generous tax credits to employers for providing paid leave than the initial bill.
The package, which still has no official cost estimate, would extend unemployment insurance, increase federal Medicaid spending, offer nearly $1 billion in additional food aid, provide free coverage for coronavirus testing, and more.
The measure now moves to the Senate which is expected to take up the measure (HR 6201) today to cushion the economic blow of the COVID-19 pandemic.
3rd COVID-19 Package Being Discussed
The government’s economic stimulus is set to quickly balloon into trillion-dollar territory in the coming days, the largest rescue in modern American history, as major industries flood the Administration and Capitol Hill for aid while huge swaths of the economy stall from the coronavirus crisis.
The size and scope of the package are morphing rapidly as the economic and market damage mounts. Senate Republicans and the White House are exploring how to fast-track existing legislation with the upcoming stimulus packages.
The Administration is expected to ask for a third package of $850 billion, which would consist of direct spending and tax breaks.
Stay tuned.
SVA Provides Background Info on GI Bill– Covid-19 Issue
The Student Veterans of America (SVA) has created a webpage on the issue surrounding potential problems associated with education programs moving on-line and the move’s implications on GI Bill payments to veterans. The SVA webpage is available here.
ED OCR Releases Info on How to Ensure Accessibility of On-Line Programs
The Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR) released today information, including a webinar, on how institutions moving to on-line delivery as a result of Covid-19 can ensure that their students with disabilities can still be served.
The release from OCR is available here.